James Tenney (August 10, 1934 – August 24, 2006) was an American composer and music theorist. He made significant early musical contributions to

plunderphonics Plunderphonics is a music genre in which tracks are constructed by sampling (music), sampling recognizable musical works. The term was Neologism, coined by composer John Oswald (composer), John Oswald in 1985 in his essay "Plunderphonics, or Aud ...

sound synthesis A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis an ...

, algorithmic composition, process music, spectral music, microtonal music, and tuning systems including extended

just intonation In music, just intonation or pure intonation is a musical tuning, tuning system in which the space between notes' frequency, frequencies (called interval (music), intervals) is a natural number, whole number ratio, ratio. Intervals spaced in thi ...

. His theoretical writings variously concern musical form, texture,

timbre In music, timbre (), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes sounds according to their source, such as choir voices and musical instrument ...

, consonance and dissonance, and harmonic perception.

Biography

James Tenney was born in Silver City,

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

, and grew up in Arizona and Colorado. He attended the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1864, it has an enrollment of approximately 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students. It is classified among "R1: D ...

, the Juilliard School of Music, Bennington College (B.A., 1958) and the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

(M.A., 1961). He studied piano with

Eduard Steuermann Eduard Steuermann (June 18, 1892, Sambor, Austria-Hungary – November 11, 1964, New York City) was an Austrian-born American pianist and composer. Steuermann studied piano with Vilém Kurz at the Lemberg Conservatory and Ferruccio Busoni in ...

and composition with

Chou Wen-chung Chou Wen-chung (; July 28, 1923 – October 25, 2019) was a Chinese American composer of contemporary classical music. He emigrated in 1946 to the United States and received his music training at the New England Conservatory and Columbia Univ ...

, Lionel Nowak, Paul Boepple, Henry Brant, Carl Ruggles, Kenneth Gaburo,

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

, Harry Partch, and

Edgard Varèse Edgard Victor Achille Charles Varèse (; also spelled Edgar; December 22, 1883 – November 6, 1965) was a French and American composer who spent the greater part of his career in the United States. Varèse's music emphasizes timbre and rhythm; h ...

. He also studied acoustics,

information theory Information theory is the mathematical study of the quantification (science), quantification, Data storage, storage, and telecommunications, communication of information. The field was established and formalized by Claude Shannon in the 1940s, ...

and tape music composition under Lejaren Hiller. In 1961, Tenney completed an influential master's thesis entitled ''Meta (+) Hodos'' that made one of the earliest applications, if not the earliest application, of gestalt theory and

cognitive science Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary, scientific study of the mind and its processes. It examines the nature, the tasks, and the functions of cognition (in a broad sense). Mental faculties of concern to cognitive scientists include percep ...

to music. His later writings include "Temporal gestalt perception in music" in the '' Journal of Music Theory'', the chapter "John Cage and the Theory of Harmony" in ''Writings about

'', and the book ''A History of Consonance and Dissonance'', among others. Tenney's earliest works show the influence of Webern, Ruggles and Varèse, while a gradual assimilation of the ideas of John Cage influenced the development of his music in the 1960s. In 1961 he composed the early plunderphonic composition ''Collage No.1 (Blue Suede)'' (for tape) by sampling and manipulating a recording of

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

. His music from 1961 to 1964 was largely computer music completed at

Bell Labs Nokia Bell Labs, commonly referred to as ''Bell Labs'', is an American industrial research and development company owned by Finnish technology company Nokia. With headquarters located in Murray Hill, New Jersey, Murray Hill, New Jersey, the compa ...

in New Jersey with Max Mathews. As such it constitutes one of the earliest significant bodies of algorithmically composed and computer synthesized music. Examples include ''Analog #1 (Noise Study)'' (1961) for tape using computer synthesized noise, and ''Phases'' (1963). Tenney lived in or near New York City throughout the 1960s, where he was actively involved with

Fluxus Fluxus was an international, interdisciplinary community of artists, composers, designers, and poets during the 1960s and 1970s who engaged in experimental performance art, art performances which emphasized the artistic process over the finishe ...

, the Judson Dance Theater, and the ensemble Tone Roads, which he co-founded with Malcolm Goldstein and Philip Corner. He was exceptionally dedicated to the music of American composer

Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, actuary and businessman. Ives was among the earliest renowned American composers to achieve recognition on a global scale. His music was largely ignored d ...

, many of whose compositions he conducted; his interpretation of Ives' '' Concord Sonata'' for piano was much praised. Tenney collaborated closely as both musician and actor with his then-partner, the artist Carolee Schneemann (who he met in New York in 1955) until their separation in 1968. With Schneemann he co-starred in ''Fuses,'' a 1965 silent film of collaged and painted sequences of lovemaking. Tenney created the

sound collage In music, montage (literally "putting together") or sound collage ("gluing together") is a technique where newly branded sound objects or Musical composition, compositions, including songs, are created from collage, also known as musique concrè ...

s for Schneemann's ''Viet Flakes'', 1965, and ''Snows'', 1970, and performed in the New York City production of ''Meat Joy'', 1964, Schneemann's orgiastic celebration of the expressive body.Notes on Fuseology Carolee Schneemann Remembers James Tenney
/ref> In 1967 Tenney gave an influential FORTRAN workshop for a group of composers and

artists that included

Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer best known as a pioneer of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, and canons. Reich descr ...

, Nam June Paik,

Dick Higgins Dick Higgins (15 March 1938 – 25 October 1998) was an American artist, composer, art theorist, poet, publisher, printmaker, and a co-founder of the Fluxus international artistic movement (and community). Inspired by John Cage, Higgins was ...

, Jackson Mac Low, Joseph Byrd, Phil Corner, Alison Knowles and Max Neuhaus. Tenney was one of four performers of

's '' Pendulum Music'' (1967) on May 27, 1969, at the Whitney Museum of American Art, alongside

Michael Snow Michael James Aleck Snow (December 10, 1928 – January 5, 2023) was a Canadian artist who worked in a range of media including film, installation, sculpture, photography, and music. His best-known films are ''Wavelength'' (1967) and '' La Rég ...

, Richard Serra and Bruce Nauman. Tenney also performed with Harry Partch (in a production of Partch's ''The Bewitched'' in 1959),

(in the mid-1960s), Steve Reich, and

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

(the latter two in the late 1960s). All of Tenney's compositions after 1970 are instrumental music (occasionally with tape-delay), and most since 1972 reflect an interest in harmonic perception and unconventional tuning systems. Significant works include ''Clang'' (1972) for orchestra, ''Quintext'' (1972) for string quintet, ''Spectral CANON for CONLON Nancarrow'' (1974) for player piano, ''Glissade'' (1982) for viola, cello, double bass and tape delay system, ''Bridge'' (1982–84) for two pianos eight hands in a microtonal tuning system, ''Changes'' (1985) for six harps tuned a sixth of a semitone apart, ''Critical Band'' (1988) for variable instrumentation and ''In a Large Open Space'' (1994) for variable instrumentation. His pieces are often

tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...

s to other composers or colleagues and subtitled as such. Tenney taught at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn,

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, the

California Institute of the Arts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a Private university, private art school in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for ...

, the

University of California, Santa Cruz The University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz or UCSC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Cruz, California, United States. It is one of the ten campuses in the University of C ...

, and

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

. His students include

John Luther Adams John Luther Adams (born January 23, 1953) is an American composer whose music is inspired by nature, especially the landscapes of Alaska, where he lived from 1978 to 2014. His orchestral work ''Become Ocean'' was awarded the 2014 Pulitzer Prize ...

, John Bischoff, Michael Byron, Allison Cameron, Raven Chacon, Daniel Corral, Miguel Frasconi, Peter Garland, Douglas Kahn, Carson Kievman, Julie King, Catherine Lamb, Ingram Marshall, Andra McCartney, Charlemagne Palestine, Larry Polansky, Marc Sabat, Carl Stone, Chiyoko Szlavnics, Eric de Visscher, Tashi Wada, and Michael Winter. () Tenney died on 24 August 2006 of lung cancer in Santa Clarita, California.

Selected recordings

As sole composer

*''The Music Of James Tenney: Selected Works 1963–1984'' (1984, Musicworks) *''Selected Works 1961–1969'' (1992, Frog Peak Music) *''Bridge and Flocking'' (1996, hat ART) *''The Solo Works for Percussion'' (1998, Matthias Kaul, hat ART) *''Music for Violin and Piano'' (1999, hat ART) *''Forms 1–4: In Memoriam Edgar Varèse, John Cage, Stefan Wolpe, Morton Feldman'' (2002, Ensemble Musikfabrik, hat ART) *''Pika-Don'' (2004, hat ART) *''Postal Pieces'' (2004, The Barton Workshop, New World Records) *''Melody, Ergodicity And Indeterminacy'' (2007, The Barton Workshop, Mode Records) *''Arbor Vitæ: Quatuors + Quintettes'' (2008, Quatuor Bozzini) *''Spectrum Pieces'' (2009, The Barton Workshop, New World Records) *''Old School: James Tenney'' (2010, Zeitkratzer) *''Having Never Written a Note for Percussion'' (2015, Rrose, Further Records) *''Bass Works'' (2016, Dario Calderone, hat ART) *''Harmonium'' (2018, Scordatura Ensemble, New World Records)

Individual works

*''Saxony'' ** David Mott, Composers Recordings, Inc. 1985 ** Henrik Frisk, ''Inventions of Solitude'', Hornblower Recordings 1995 ** Ulrich Krieger, ''Walls of Sound'', OODiscs 1996 ** Ryan Muncy, ''ism'', Tundra/New Focus 2016 *''Ergodos I For John Cage'' ** James Tenney, ''A Chance Operation: The John Cage Tribute'', Koch International Classics) 1993 *''Koan: Having Never Written a Note for Percussion'' **

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Founding members Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Thurston Moore (lead guitar, vocals) and Lee Ranaldo (rhythm guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of ...

, '' Goodbye 20th Century'', SYR 1999 ** William Winant, ''Five American Percussion Pieces'', Poon Village 2013

References

Sources * * * * * * * * *

External links

including a list of works and a downloadable selection of Tenney's writings.

(book by Larry Polansky)
Performance film ''Having Never''
inspired by the Tenney composition ''Having Never Written a Note for Percussion'', a "Postcard Piece" with Danny Holt performing. Directed by Raffaello Mazza.

Listening

Extensive YouTube channel
dedicated to the music of James Tenney

Spectral Variation No 1
recording of premiere at DNK Amsterdam by Ciarán Maher
Just intonation version of Tenney's Chromatic Canon for Two Pianos, using the tuning system provided by Tenney
Groups who often perform Tenney's works:
Array MusicQuatuor Bozzini

Interviews

* Zimmerman, Walter, ''Desert Plants – Conversations with 23 American Musicians'', Berlin: Beginner Press in cooperation with Mode Records, 2020 (originally published in 1976 by A.R.C., Vancouver). The 2020 edition includes a CD featuring the original interview recordings with Larry Austin, Robert Ashley, Jim Burton,

, Philip Corner, Morton Feldman,

, Joan La Barbara, Garrett List, Alvin Lucier, John McGuire, Charles Morrow, J. B. Floyd (on Conlon Nancarrow), Pauline Oliveros, Charlemagne Palestine, Ben Johnston (on Harry Partch),

, David Rosenboom, Frederic Rzewski, Richard Teitelbaum, James Tenney, Christian Wolff, and La Monte Young.
Hermits of Re-Tuning (Show 115)
James Tenney interviewed on Kalvos & Damian New Music Bazaar, August 2, 1997 (click to listen)
James Tenney interviewed byAmerican Mavericks
(click to listen) * (includes video) {{DEFAULTSORT:Tenney, James 1934 births 2006 deaths 20th-century American classical composers American experimental musicians Canadian classical composers Canadian experimental musicians 20th-century Canadian composers Computer music Just intonation composers Microtonal composers Fluxus Minimalist composers Spectral music American electronic musicians American music theorists Pupils of John Cage Pupils of Carl Ruggles Pupils of Chou Wen-chung Pupils of Eduard Steuermann Pupils of Edgard Varèse Pupils of Harry Partch Pupils of Henry Brant Pupils of Kenneth Gaburo Polytechnic Institute of New York University faculty California Institute of the Arts faculty Academic staff of York University People from Silver City, New Mexico Musicians from New Mexico Musicians from Denver Bennington College alumni Experimental Music Studios alumni University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni University of Illinois alumni American male classical composers Deaths from lung cancer in California 20th-century American musicologists 20th-century American male musicians